A Chance Encounter
by mysticalforces
Summary: What if on that fateful day at the boiling sea, The Red Queen took away all of Alice's memories and literally tore her away from Cyrus and sent her out of Wonderland? After months of being in captivity, Cyrus finally escapes and goes on a quest to find Alice. When Cyrus finally does find Alice, will it be the same Alice he fell in love with? And will he be able to bring her back?
1. Chapter 1

**A Chance Encounter**

_I can't do this anymore. _

_Every day I face is filled with nothing but fear and self-loathing. _

_There is only one escape for me. One way to make them realize how much I hate this life. _

_If I do this, they won't laugh at me any more. _

_I tell them I'm miserable, that he scares me, that I want to break away. But they can only see the mansion, the fancy cars, the endless trips to glamorous hot spots. _

_They don't see the bruises, neither the ones on the outside nor the ones on the inside. They don't know what happens when I ask for a little money to buy something for myself. _

_I have to account for every penny I hold in my hand. He has me under his thumb. I'm weak and clueless about the world. I'm sheltered under a wing that is feathered with cruel barbs and hard fists. And the only way to fly from under it is to fall first._

_I'm just not strong enough alone. _

_Now there is nothing to live for._

With her mind made up, a cold figure wearing nothing but a long white terry robe stepped up onto the eight inch wide ledge running around the rooftop of the fancy apartment building.

For just a moment she stared at the skyline, almost in awe of the sight from this height, with the view unblocked for the most part by taller buildings. There wasn't any smog that night so the sky was clear and she could see the moon hanging low in the sky, could even see the brightest stars twinkling faintly against their backdrop of black velvet.

She didn't hear the door to the roof open and close again. She didn't see the man lean back against the door and breathe hard, like he'd just run a marathon. She didn't notice when he realized he wasn't alone on the roof.

In fact, she didn't notice him until he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down. She kicked and screamed until she realized it wasn't him. He hadn't found her. She almost cried with relief. And then she got angry.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed as she pulled away from the unfamiliar man, literally throwing herself back towards the edge of the roof. This time he caught her by the arm.

"Do you know how far it is to the ground, miss? How many stories up we are?" he asked when she turned back to face him.

"I know exactly how many stories up we are. Seventy five stories to the ground. Seventy seven if you count the two levels below the street," she said darkly.

The man released her arm.

"You're not drunk," he stated slowly.

Alice turned around to face him. She finally got a good look at him and it almost took her breath away. He was without a doubt the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on before in her entire life.

"I'm not high." Alice replied. "If that's what you're thinking. Not on drugs anyway. That's one escape I've never even considered. Not that I could afford them anyway," she muttered, turning back to the skyline, her arms wrapped around herself.

She would have to wait until he was gone. She didn't want an audience.

The man looked her over in obvious concern. As he took in her words, he realized them to be true. She didn't appear to be drunk and she definitely didn't appear to be high either.

"Look, miss, it's two in the morning and you're standing on the roof of an apartment building in your pajamas, doing a balancing act on that incredibly _narrow_ ledge. I just naturally assumed you were under the influence of something. Either that or you were planning on jumping," he said, the laugh behind his words saying that he didn't even consider that as an option.

Alice didn't reply though. She just stood silent.

When she hunched her shoulders and hugged herself even tighter, he sobered. "You were going to jump?" he asked, his voice a disbelieving whisper.

"Correction, am going to jump." She replied, forcing her tone to sound firm and hard. She meant that, she did. So then why was she all of the sudden having doubts?

He studied her, his heart breaking a little at just how desperate she seemed to be. Maybe someone else might leave her to do what she would but that someone wasn't going to be him. He could see it in her eyes, he could see that she didn't really want this.

"What's your name?" He gently asked.

"What?" Her tone was filled with confusion. Why would this man possibly want her name and then it dawned on her. She spun around sharply and her features were wild with panic. "You're not taking me back!"

The man's eyes went wide at how upset he seemed to have made her. "Back, where?" He softly asked.

"I won't go back!" She continued on, panic completely taking over her mind. "Even if you do manage to take me back there, I'll just find another way out! If it's not this roof, than it'll be some cliff or…a rope or…I'll get creative!"

He looked at her in shock. "Where are you so scared that I'm going to send you that is worse than jumping off of that roof?"

Alice tried blinking back tears that were already beginning to fall. "It doesn't matter. Look, you seem like a really nice man…"

"My name's Cyrus." He gently gave. Maybe if he offered her his name first, she'd eventually share hers. "You're obviously running from something," He looked her over and added. "Or someone. I want to help you."

"Cyrus, you can't help me." Alice firmly replied. "No one can help me. And you don't wanna hear my sob story, trust me. Just go back to your life and let me escape from mine."

"Nothing in your life can be so bad that it can't be resolved, healed or comforted." Cyrus gently touched her arm. "I can't let you do this." He said firmly.

Alice shivered. No one had touched her this gently in years. "There's no where else for me to go. I have no friends. Only him." She replied bitterly.

"Family?" He asked softly.

"Only him." She repeated, a trace of annoyance in her tone. "My husband."

"Oh." He said softly. "Why are you wanting to do this when you have someone that loves you?"

Alice snorted. "He doesn't love me! He just likes to dress me up and show me off to his friends at parties and charities to make himself look good. I don't think he's ever even _seen_ me."

"Well, tell me who I can take you to or have you call that _does_ see you. Someone that you will believe when you're told it will all be better with time." Cyrus gently asked.

Alice glared at him. "Haven't you been bloody _listening_ to me?! There is no one, Cyrus! Ok? No family, no friends! He doesn't even let me out of his sight long enough to make any." She sadness in his eyes and sighed. "It's too late for me, ok?"

Cyrus shook his head firmly. "No, it's not. It's never too late for anybody. This doesn't have to be your fate. Just come with me and…"

"No!" Alice yelled, panic started to overtake her once more. "I mean what I said, I won't go back there!"

"Listen, I'm not going to-" Cyrus tried to reach out to calm her and he was shoved by her.

"No!" Alice cried, getting desperate. "Leave me alone!"

"It's always something with women.." Cyrus muttered before quickly reached out and tossing her over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" She shrieked. "Let me go!"

"Not a chance." Cyrus replied firmly. "I'm going to make you see the value of your life whether you appreciate it or not!"

"No! Damn it, Cyrus put me down!" Alice yelled as she kicked against him and was carried inside the building.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : Thank you all so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! While this is an AU story, it will involve the whole magical essence of the show. Hope you guys like this next chapter and please review!

**Chapter 2**

"Here you go." Cyrus handed Alice a cup of tea.

"Thanks." Alice mumbled, looking anywhere but at him. She honestly felt very embarrassed for her earlier outbursts.

Cyrus took a seat next to her on his sofa. He sat patiently and watched her.

Alice set the cup down, her hands shaking. He may not have done it yet but she was still positive he was gonna wind up taking her back to him. It was what others had always done before.

"I'm sorry." She finally said after a few moments.

"For what?" Cyrus asked in confusion.

Alice finally looked over at him. "My outburst before, kicking you. I honestly thought you were going to take me back and I panicked. I'm not sure that you won't."

"I'm not going to take you anywhere that you don't want to go." Cyrus replied gently. "Especially not somewhere that makes you so emphatic about taking your own life."

"Thank you." Alice sincerely said.

"You're welcome." Cyrus gently smiled at her. "So, I really don't wanna keep calling you 'miss'. Do you think you could tell me your name now?"

Alice sighed. That was the least she could do after all the trouble she caused him. "Alice." She replied softly. "My name is Alice."

"Alice." Cyrus softly said. "Do you wanna tell me why I found you on that roof?"

"No, not really." Alice honestly replied.

"Well, why don't you tell me what it is you do want?" Cyrus gently countered.

Alice looked at him taken aback by the question. It had been a long time since anyone had asked her what she wanted.

"To be free." She replied without hesitation.

Cyrus looked at her sadly. Feeling trapped was something he'd known a great deal about at one time and he hated that someone like her had gone through that as well. "Alice, you don't have to die to be free."

"You don't get it." Alice whimpered. "He is never going to let me go."

Cyrus was about to question her more about that husband of hers when he heard a knock at his door.

"Oh God!" Alice's eyes were wide with freight. "He's here. He's found me."

"Alice, he doesn't know you're here." Cyrus gently reminded her.

"You don't know him. He's probably sent someone looking for me!" Tears were in Alice's eyes. "He doesn't like it much when his things disappear." She added bitterly.

Cyrus felt his heart go out to her. "Oh, Alice.."

Another round of knocking resumed, sharper.

"Cyrus…" Alice whispered fearfully.

"Come with me." Cyrus reached out for her hand.

Alice pulled her hand away, looking up at him unsure. "Cyrus?"

"Alice, do you think you could trust me?" Cyrus gently but urgently asked her.

The knocking got louder and it forced Alice to make a decision.

"Yes." Alice quickly replied. There was no doubt in her mind that she was a hell of a lot safer with Cyrus than with her husband.

Cyrus gave her a smile and grabbed her hand. "Come with me then."

Alice followed Cyrus as he lead her into his room.

He sat her down and knelt in front of her. "I want you to stay here while I deal with whoever is at the door, ok?"

"What are you going to do?" Alice asked worriedly.

"I'm going to get rid of them and then we'll figure out our next step, alright?" Cyrus was looking at her intensely. He really needed her to trust him if there was any hope of him helping her.

Alice nodded and couldn't help the hopefulness she'd felt inside of her when he'd used the term 'we'.

Cyrus casted her another reassuring look before quickly moving to leave but stopped when he felt her tightly grab his hand. "Alice?"

Alice breathed shakily. "Cyrus, I'm scared."

Cyrus felt his heart clench at that. He didn't know her whole story yet nor did he need to for him to tell that she was scared to death of her husband.

"I know." He whispered, he reached a hand out to gently touch her face. "This may not mean much or anything but I promise you everything is going to be alright."

"I think that's the first time I've ever actually held hope that it could be." Alice whispered back through her tears.

"I'll be back." Cyrus gently said.

Cyrus walked out the door and shut it firmly behind him.

He went over to his door that was being knocked on so insistently and opened it.

"Can I help you?"

"Been knocking for quite a while, you know that?" The man glared at him.

Cyrus felt the need to snap back at him but chose not to. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention into his home. "Well it is early. I was still sleeping. What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for this woman," He held up a photo of Alice. "you seen her?"

Cyrus shook his head. "No, can't say that I have."

"Oh really? Because the neighbors tell a different story. A few of them claim they heard screaming and that she was with you." He glared at Cyrus.

"Is that so?" Cyrus countered. "Well I really wouldn't listen to gossip if I were you. I haven't seen that woman before in my life."

"What the hell have you done with my wife?!" The guy bellowed, trying to shove his way in only to be shoved back with great force by Cyrus.

"You need to calm down." Cyrus advised sharply. "I've already told you. Your wife isn't here and where ever she happens to be, I'm pretty certain she's old enough to make her own decisions."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" He snapped. "My wife isn't well, hasn't been for quite some time. I have legal documents of that and it is well in my right to have her committed for reevaluation. For her own good of course."

Cyrus breathed sharply. "Well that changes things a bit."

The guy looked at him in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Like I said, always something with women." Cyrus muttered before punching the guy in face, knocking him out cold.

Cyrus quickly shut and locked the door. He didn't have much time.

Cyrus ran back into his room where he was hiding Alice. He shut and locked that door and barricaded it with his dresser.

"Cyrus, what's going on?" Alice asked fearfully.

"I knocked your husband out," Cyrus told her urgently. "but that's not gonna hold him for long Alice. He has legal documents and he claims he could have you committed." At her scared look, he sighed. "It's true, isn't it?"

Alice nodded tearfully. "Yes. Look, I appreciate you trying to help me but I get that this changes things. I'll just be on my way.."

"No!" Cyrus quickly but gently grabbed her arm. "I mean it does change things but it doesn't change my wanting to help you. It just means I'm gonna have to do something that I wasn't quite planning on doing this soon."

"What do you mean?" Alice asked confused.

Cyrus quickly grabbed the wooden chest and opened it.

"Cyrus, what's going on?" Alice repeated.

Cyrus turned to her. "Alice, do you think you can continue to trust me?"

Alice silently nodded. She did still trust him when compared to her husband and even when compared to anyone else for that matter.

Cyrus gently smiled. "Ok, good. I wasn't planning on doing this yet, I wanted to gain your complete trust first but there just isn't any time." At her confused look, he continued on. "Do you still want to be free?"

Alice quickly nodded her head. "More than anything."

Cyrus nodded before turning back to the wooden chest and grabbing something out of it.

"What is that?" Alice asked curiously.

Cyrus took a deep breath. He was pretty sure there was no way she was gonna believe this but he knew it wouldn't be long before she did. After all, seeing was believing.

"It's a magic bean." Cyrus replied.

Alice looked at him wide eyed. "Wh…wh..what?!" She spluttered.

"I'm gonna throw it and it's gonna open a portal." Cyrus continued.

"A portal?!" Alice shrieked. "Oh you have got to be kidding me!"

Cyrus sighed. He was afraid she would react like this. "Alice, I know that sounds unbelievable and scary but you need to trust me. It's far better than staying here and under the control of a person like that."

"Oh, no no no no!" Alice shook her head. "You're crazy!"

Cyrus looked back at the door he was sure was gonna be broken down if he didn't act quickly.

He turned back around, the bean in his hand and quickly threw it.

Alice's eyes went wide as she saw the green vortex opening up right in front of her eyes.

"Oh no! This isn't bloody happening!" Alice shouted. She'd had years and years of therapy that convinced her of that when she'd traveled to Wonderland as child, when she'd claimed to, that it wasn't real.

"Alice, we have to go!" Cyrus shouted to her urgently. "Give me your hand!"

"No!" Alice shouted. "I can't!"

Cyrus sighed frustrated. "Alice, I thought you were going to try to continue trusting me!"

"You don't understand!" Alice yelled. "I can't go back to Wonderland! I didn't leave that bloody place on the best of terms!"

Cyrus looked at her stunned. "How do you know about Wonderland?"

"That's…" Alice looked at him confused. "That's not where you're taking me?"

Cyrus quickly shook his head. "Of course not! That's not a place I can return to as well! Alice, please take my hand! I promise not to let anything happen to you, just please trust me!"

Alice took a deep breath before finally placing her hand in Cyrus's and two jumped into the green vortex, it devouring them both in it's hands.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I wanna thank all of my reviewers and followers! It's so awesome to have the support! I wanted to give a shoutout to this one reviewer that I unfortunately cannot reply to. Error Delight: You made a very good point about the grammer, and I hope I did better in the chapter with it. Hope you all like this new chapter. Got a plot twist you may or may not have seen coming XD. Please review!

**Chapter 3**

Alice woke up and looked around, her eyes darting back and forth. "Cyrus!" Her tone was one of panic.

"It's alright, Alice." Cyrus gently touched her arm. "I'm right here."

She knew it was extremely odd that his touch, the touch of a stranger brought her such comfort but it did. She was scared, she didn't know where she was but she still felt safe with him.

"Cyrus, where are we?" Alice whispered.

"Maybe we should just call it a safe place and leave it at that." Cyrus gently suggested. He remembered how she reacted when he opened that portal. He was honestly afraid of scaring her, he wanted her to feel safe with him.

Alice glared at him. "Maybe _you_ should just answer my question." She countered back.

Cyrus sighed. "Alice, I know you want answers. But tell me this, are you ready for the answers you seek to change your life?"

"Stop with the riddles and tell me where the bloody hell I am!" Alice snapped. He was beginning to remind her of the white rabbit and all those other creatures she'd met in Wonder… "Oh no."

Cyrus frowned and looked at her with concern. She looked pale as a sheet. "Alice, what's the matter?"

Alice looked up at him, she was slightly shaking. "Please, _please _tell me we are not in Wonderland…"

Cyrus chuckled. "Alice, I told you remember? I cannot return to Wonderland either."

Alice breathed relieved. "Then," She took a look around her, noticing they were in the grass and it was outside. "where are we?"

Cyrus sobered. "We are not in New York."

"Cyrus." Alice warned. "I don't need to be protected. I most certainly do not need control from yet another man."

Cyrus frowned hurt. "Is that what you think I'm doing? Do you honestly believe that I used my last means of escape just so I could own you instead of him?"

"Last means of escape?" Confusion filled Alice's features. "Are you saying that was the only…?"

"Magic bean I owned?" Cyrus interrupted softly. "Yes, that is exactly what I am telling you. I can see very clearly that you don't trust well, if at all but contrary to what you may believe, I did not use my last escape route just so I could hurt you like he did."

"I did not believe that was your intention." Alice replied quietly, looking down.

"Alice," Cyrus's voice was soft as was his touch when he reached out to tip her chin up so her eyes would face his. She involuntarily flinched and he tried to hide the flash of hurt at her reaction. "I am not a monster. I am not him."

Alice blinked back tears. It had been a long time since she'd ever dreamed she could trust anyone, but somehow sitting here with Cyrus she believed that if she could ever trust a single person again, it would be him.

"Why did you use your last, your only means of escape from that realm just to get some mad woman that you don't even know away from a gilded cage?" Alice asked.

Cyrus frowned. "You're not mad, Alice. I made a promise to help you. What kind of man would I be if I just left you to the edge of a roof? If I just left you to be institutionalized for who knows how long?" Cyrus shook his head, feeling anger well up inside of him when he thought about what could've happened to her. "No. There is no way I was going to do that to you."

Alice looked at him stunned. Why did he care so much about her welfare? They were strangers. "You don't know me." She repeated confused. "You certainly can't care what happens to me to that kind of degree."

Cyrus shook his head sharply. "You are wrong, Alice. You have no idea how wrong you are."

Alice's confusion grew. "Why did you use your last bean to help me?"

Cyrus breathed deeply. He couldn't tell her too much. He wanted to tell her the entire truth so badly but he was terrified of scaring her and possibly losing her for good. "I was saving it, Alice. I was saving that magic bean for…I guess you could say for a rainy day."

"That makes sense." Alice replied quietly. "It was certainly my rainy day, but what about yours? What about when you have a rainy day and now you no longer have an escape should you need it?"

Cyrus sighed as he looked into her eyes intensely. "Alice, that _was_ my rainy day. Just knowing how badly you needed help, that was the only rainy day I needed. I don't regret it, not for a moment. I would do it all over again."

Alice looked at him once again stunned, in disbelief. "But Cyrus, you don't know me. Why was I so important? I literally mean nothing to you."

Cyrus was dangerously close to telling her everything. He was so close to just blurting it all out, telling her about her amnesia, what Wonderland did to her, did to them both. But most of all, he was so close to telling her that she was happy once…with him.

Cyrus chose his words carefully. "What if I were to tell you, that I did know you, _do_ know you? What if I were to tell you that our meeting on that roof wasn't the first time we'd ever laid eyes on each other?"

Alice frowned. "Cyrus, I really think I would remember if I already knew you. Besides, how can you claim to know me when I've barely known you for twenty four hours?"

Cyrus pushed the hurt down at her words. He knew this wasn't her fault. Anastasia had really out done herself. She had completely taken away everything Alice was. But he still had faith, faith in her, faith in them that he could still find a way to bring her back to him.

"You're right." Cyrus answered painfully. "I don't know you." He then swallowed the pain and forced hope into his eyes, hope that he desperately needed to hold on to. "But I want to. I want to know you, Alice." He then had an idea. "I want you to know that although we don't know each other, my home..wherever that may happen to be, whether it's here or Neverland, my home is your home."

Alice lightly smiled and than frowned. Why did those words sound so familiar. She looked at his smiling hopeful face and suddenly her head started to pound a flashback took over her.

"_Turn me in and I get big!" Alice's eyes were filled with fear and distrust._

_Cyrus just smiled in amusement. "We wouldn't want that, now would we? Good bottles are so hard to find these days." Then he smiled at her warmly. "My name is Cyrus and my home is your home."_

"Alice!" Cyrus had rushed quickly over to her when he'd seen her nearly pass out. He had her in his arms. "Alice, what's the matter?"

The pain in Alice's head faded as did the vision. "Nothing." She quickly shook her head, trying her best to push whatever had just happened down. That couldn't have been real. No. Her mind was playing tricks on her. "I'm alright."

Cyrus didn't believe her though. He could feel that the words he'd said to her had trigged a possible memory in her mind. At least he'd hoped it had. "Alice.."

"Where is here?" Alice blurted, desperate to push whatever it was that she'd just witnessed.

Hallucination…whatever the bloody hell it was, it needed to be gone. There was no doubt in her mind that Cyrus was a good man, but she knew the last thing that was healthy was for her to develop an attachment to him. For her to replace one bad relationship with another. He didn't deserve that and while no matter how hard she tried to deny it she was having feelings for him, she just knew that there was no possible way that he would ever return them.

After a few moments of silence, Cyrus finally answered with the truth. "We're in the Enchanted Forest." Cyrus half smiled, at least he could share one truth with her today.

After all, one truth definitely had to be a step in the right direction.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I'm so glad you all like the plot twist XD! This chapter is a little long due to the flashbacks. This chapter mostly focuses on things already seen in the show but I wanted to kind of get inside their heads a bit so to speak. I hope you guys like this chapter and please review J

**Chapter 4**

"_I've never met a human quite like you, Alice." There was wonder in Cyrus's voice along with warmness and he looked at her lovingly._

_Alice smiled back, the same warmness and love reflecting back in her own eyes at him. "I've never met a genie quite like you." She paused as she chuckled softly. "Well actually I've never met a genie so…"_

_Cyrus was looking at her so seriously, it was a look she couldn't quite name but could somehow swear she knew what it was all the same. "Ok." _

_Alice looked at him confused but didn't say anything. She waited patiently for what her love had to say, for she could somehow just feel that it was of the most extreme importance._

"_Oh forgive me, I' not used to…I was always the one granting the wishes not making them." Cyrus explained, nervousness just written all over him._

_Alice smiled, a twinge of confusion but also wonder in her eyes and in her tone. "Making them? What?"_

_Cyrus gently grabs both of Alice's hands in his own. "For one hundred years I was tethered to a bottle, a slave to the forty dreams of man. In all that time, I only had one wish to never be a prisoner again." He gently smiles at her. "Now, I have another."_

_Alice was silent still looking at him with that same wonderment._

"_Oh but wait," Cyrus wanted nothing more than to do this right by Alice, to do everything right by her for it was what she deserved. He kneeled down in front of her, looking into her wide trusting but stunned eyes. "I think the people in your word do this down on one…"_

"_Yes!" Alice blurted, not even waiting for the entire proposal, or the proposal at all. _

_She knew his heart, she knew what he was going to ask her. She knew without a doubt what her answer was. Cyrus was the man of her dreams, her wishes. He was the man she'd been waiting for all of her life. He was her one true love and forever would be._

"_What?" Could he dare to believe that she'd granted the biggest and maybe last wish he would ever ask for in his existence? There was slight confusion in his eyes along with the wonderment. Had he gotten out the whole proposal, but because of his mad nervousness just flown through it?_

"_Yes, yes I will!" Alice continued eagerly, her eyes shining with happiness and love._

_Cyrus smiled at her warmly, his eyes full of love. It was in this moment that he could truly feel the depth of her love. No one had ever looked at him like that, not had ever looked or felt for any person what he felt for Alice, his one true love._

"_But, I had a whole speech." Cyrus replied, still wanting to go through with it, wanting her to know that he wanted, no he needed to do what was right by her. "It was charming and eloquent and Alice-"_

_Alice grew impatient, wanting nothing more than to be in her love's arms. To seal their promise with a kiss. She smiled, pulling him up and yanked him to her, her arms going around him and his around her as they kissed deeply._

_Their kiss lasted a few moments before they both pulled back, looking intently into each other's eyes. Each had warm smiles on their faces. _

_Cyrus lifted his necklace that was glowing red. "Our hearts are entwined. From now on, I'll know when you're near." He gently wrapped his hands around Alice's that was holding his necklace in her palm. "And __**you**__ will know."_

_Alice grinned, her eyes still showing nothing but warmth and love as they held on each other. The both of them just lost in their own world they had created in each other._

_Suddenly their happiness was interrupted as they heard marching. They both looked up in horror to see the red queen and her minions coming towards them._

_Cyrus's horror grew when he saw Jafar with a sinister look on his face. "Alice, run!" He cried out._

Alice gasped as she bolted awake, tears were streaming down her face.

Cyrus had felt her restlessness and had laid near her incase she needed him. He gently reached out to touch her face, his eyes pained. He hated to see her in pain. "Alice, are you alright?" He gently asked. He knew full well that she wasn't but he was not about to demand anything of her.

Alice shook her head 'no' as she sobbed.

She didn't understand what was happening to her. They had been in this…Enchanted Forest for almost a week now, and she kept having dreams about Cyrus. With each dream she had, she felt her feelings become more real, she was feeling more attached to him and it was terrifying her. She had kept telling herself that there was no way any of what she was dreaming was real or had ever happened, but her heart…her heart was telling her the exact opposite.

Cyrus gently stroked her hair, holding her close to him as she sobbed. "Alice, do you…you can talk to me. You can tell me anything."

Alice abruptly pulled away from him, she glared at him through her tears. "What did you _do_ to me?!" She demanded.

Cyrus frowned, taken aback. "What?"

"You…you're doing this!" Alice accused him hotly. "What you gave me to drink when I was first at your apartment…you know of magic, right?!"

Cyrus was stunned and deeply hurt that she would insinuate that he would ever use magic on her. "Alice, you're _very_ wrong. I didn't do anything to you."

Alice knew he had been nothing but kind to her but of all her past experience no one was ever this kind without an ulterior motive. It was all she had to cling to. It was the only thing that made sense. And she had to make some kind of sense out of what was happening to her.

"You casted some spell or something, right?" Alice continued through her tears. "How bloody absurd of me," She continued on bitterly. "you never wanted to help me. This is personal for you, you _want_ something from me!" She forced herself to ignore the hurt in his eyes as he looked as if she had slapped him. "Why should you be any different?"

"Alice," Cyrus forced his voice to remain soft. He knew nothing good would come from him giving into his frustration over her continued distrust. After all, he still didn't know the full extent of what she had been through after they had been separated. "the only magical thing I had in my possession was that bean. It's gone. I did that for you because _all_ I have wanted ever since finding you on that god forsaken roof was to help you!"

Alice looked at him tearfully, she knew deep down in heart somehow that he was telling her the truth but she was scared, terrified. It had been easier to just blame him, to make him into another bad guy, another monster.

"But you're right." Cyrus softly conceded. It was time, time to be honest, to really be honest with her about everything. He couldn't do this anymore and knew now that he was truly doing her no favors. "This is personal for me, and I _do_ want something from you." He gently reached out and cupped her face in his hands, her face that was filled with more tears and with fear. "I want you to remember and you can deny it all that you want, but I know you are starting to."

Alice shook her head desperately. "There's nothing to remember. I don't have amnesia and I haven't known you past this week."

Cyrus felt tears sting his eyes, he knew had to force himself to remain strong for her. "You have." He insisted. "We met in Wonderland. You were searching for a place to hide and you found my bottle, Alice."

Tears were streaming down Alice's face as she was hit with yet another flashback, another one that caused her head to pound.

"_So, we're both strangers in this most strange land." Cyrus mused, gently smiling at her._

_Alice returned the smile. "Stranger is one word for it."_

"_Wondrous." Cyrus countered._

"_Dangerous." Alice couldn't quite seem to get her tone to match the severity of the word she used. She knew that it was quite dangerous here in Wonderland but here with Cyrus in his bottle and she knew that she didn't know him well if at all, it didn't feel dangerous. She felt…safe._

"_I sense that you can take care of yourself." Cyrus replied, teasing her._

_Alice chuckled, her shining brightly as she smiled._

"_And you have to go back to your land soon?" Cyrus questioned, but couldn't keep the slight disappointment out of his tone if her answer were to be yes. He was truly enjoying getting to know her and he honestly did not want to say goodbye to her._

_Alice looked down, disappointed in what her answer would be. "Well, I do have what I came for."_

_Cyrus frowned. She seemed sad all of a sudden and he couldn't bare the idea that his simple question had caused that sadness. She had a smile that was so bright it could light up an entire realm. "Which is what?"_

_Alice looked into his earnest yet concerned gaze. "Proof that all this is real." _

_She reached into her bag, pulling out a white rabbit who looked none too pleased at being her hostage. He muttered something about giving her proof and tried to lunge at her, but she just smiled as she tucked him back into her bag, closing it. _

"_Talking white rabbit in jacket and trousers." Cyrus mused._

_Alice smiled brightly. "No one can say I imagined that."_

_Cyrus chuckled as he smiled widely at her. "Yeah, that much is certain. So tell me Alice, who's this proof for? You've risked much to come back here. Is it..a husband?" There was true sincerity written in Cyrus's eyes. He found her to be very intriguing and he honestly wanted to know her story._

"_No." Alice quickly replied, not able to help but feel a sadness aching inside of her but there wasn't a single person in her realm or in any realm for that matter that loved her. "No, it's no one like that."_

"_Good." There was noticeable relief in Cyrus's eyes and in his tone. _

"_Good?" Alice wasn't quite sure what to make of his response. Was he glad she wasn't attached to anyone because he fancied her as she had started to him? Was that even possible?_

"_I mean just that you're not separated from your love." Cyrus tried to cover what he'd really meant, even though he really did mean the words that he spoke. "That would be a terrible fate."_

_Alice smiled as she agreed. "Yes, that it would." She felt the warmth of his smile in return just spread through her. "The proof is for my father." She continued, her eyes dimming as she thought about the reason she had returned to begin with. "He thinks I'm insane."_

_Cyrus frowned. "Really?" He felt immense sadness for her at her predicament. He couldn't imagine anyone not believing in her. "You know, when you really love someone you don't need proof." He looked at her intensely, willing her to believe his words. "You can __**feel**__ it."_

"_Maybe where you're from." Alice replied, wishing that he could believe his words. He couldn't though because no one had ever shown her that type of love before. "But in my land I wish things would…"_

_Cyrus was looking at her patiently and earnestly as she trailed off her thought. "You wish things would, what?" He asked softly. "You found my bottle, Alice." He reminded her warmly. "Anything is possible."_

_Alice smiled at him brightly as she took his words in._

"_Mistress mine, my will is thine. Tell me your wishes three." Cyrus requested as he sat patiently in front of her, watching the bright smile that filled her beautiful features._

"Alice!" Cyrus shouted urgently, more than a little concerned at the frequent head aches she seemed to be getting lately. He knew that she was remembering, he could feel it. "Alice!" He pulled her close to him, tipping her chin up to get her eyes to meet his worried ones.

Alice was beginning to feel light headed, she tried so hard to look at him to focus. "Cyrus." She whispered.

"You're remembering, aren't you?" Cyrus brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I know you are frightened, my love but I promise you that it is ok to remember. Please…"

"No." Alice began to get her bearings back as she tried harder than ever to push everything down. "No!" She tried to pull out of his embrace but he held on to her tighter, refusing to let go of her. "I'm not remembering anything because there is nothing to remember! I went to Wonderland once as a child, I most certainly did not meet you there. I didn't fall in love with you and you did not propose to me!" She was shouting those words more to herself than to anyone else though.

Cyrus couldn't help the smile and the hope that filled his being at her words. She truly was remembering, she was having their memories. They were being restored. "All that of that happened, Alice. It was real!" He grasped her face, desperate to get through to her. "Please, Darling you have to remember! I know it hurts you to do so, but if you just the memories back in, you shall get it all back! I need you to trust me, now more than ever my love."

"I can't!" Alice cried. "No, no it's not real! I'm hallucinating, regressing…whatever the bloody hell it's called!"

"No, Alice you're not." Cyrus gently told her. "When you woke up before…your dream…it was a memory. You remembered us at the boiling sea, didn't you? You remembered that I asked," He then chuckled at the memory. "well tried to ask you to marry to me." He then lifted his glowing red necklace to show her. "Our hearts are entwined, Alice just as much if not more than they were back then."

Tears streamed down Alice's face as she continued to shake her head. "No," She denied as she cried. "no it's not real!"

"It is." Cyrus insisted firmly. "It is real, Alice." He then grabbed her hands in his, placing them on the glowing necklace. He held them there, looking into her eyes intensely. "I told you that we'd know when one was near." He saw her tears start to cease as she looked at him. "You can feel it, can't you? You can feel our love just as I still can. It still exists as strong as it ever was before."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This is another bit of a long chapter. This is the big flashback that tells exactly what happened and how Alice/Cyrus got separated and how she lost her memories. I'm really nervous about this one but I hope you guys like it. I wanna thank everyone who continues to review and all of my followers and everyone who favorites. The support means a lot! Please review. It'd seriously make my day!

**Chapter 5**

"_Alice, run!" Cyrus cried out, fearing for her safety. _

_Alice quickly pulled out her sword. "No!" She refused. "I won't leave you!"_

"_Sorry to interrupt." The queen spoke snidely._

"_This is touching indeed." Jafar added sarcastically, as he raised his serpent and magically made Alice and Cyrus's swords dissolve into dust. "You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment, Genie."_

_Cyrus grabbed Alice's hand in his tightly, terrified for her. "Alice," His tone was firm but panicked. "I will create a distraction but you must run."_

"_No!" She whispered, pained at the mere idea of being without him of leaving him behind. "Cyrus, I won't leave you. Not now, nor ever. I l__**ove**__ you."_

_Cyrus turned to her, his own eyes pained. "And __**I**__ love you, Alice. You must know that and carry it with you always."_

_Tears stung Alice's eyes. "Wh…what are you saying? You expect me to just….no! I will __**not **__say goodbye to you."_

_As much as Cyrus feared for her, he also couldn't deny that he did feel pride at her words. He knew her, he knew how selfless and loyal she was especially to those who mattered to her. He loved her more than anything for willing to risk her life for his but above all else he needed her to be safe, to have a chance._

"_Please, my love this is not the time to be stubborn." Cyrus gently whispered. _

"_I'm growing quite bored." Anastasia turned to her partner in crime. _

_Jafar smiled wickedly. "Well lets get on with our plans, now shall we?"_

_Anastasia grinned. "We shall." _

_She wanted to see the look on the Genie's face before she did it though. She wanted to see that look of horror and agony as he realized she was taking the most precious thing in the world from him. If she couldn't have her happy ending with her love, than she'd be damned if they'd get there's._

_With a simple wave of her hand, Alice was in the air, her hand being torn from Cyrus's as the magic was bringing her towards them._

"_No!" Cyrus yelled horrified. _

_He rushed forward, knowing how futile of a move that would be but he would die before he willingly let any harm come to Alice. But as he rushed forward, he suddenly found himself confined in a cage. And not just any cage, a silver one._

"_Alice!" Cyrus cried out, banging against the cage desperately even as he knew it was no good. "Don't you __**dare**__ hurt her!" _

"_Oh fear not, she'll live." Jafar assured, that sinister grin never leaving his face. _

_Anastasia than spared a glance in Cyrus's direction as she smiled. "She'll just have no idea who you are."_

_Cyrus felt his heart stop at those words. "Alice!" He yelled, as if his voice alone could stop whatever they were about to do to is love. "Alice, look at me!"_

_Before Alice could even look in his direction, even tell him with her eyes, with her voice that she loved him, before she could even blink she felt a searing pain rip through her and she screamed out in agony._

"_ALICE!" Cyrus screamed out fearfully. "Stop!" He banged against the cage, trying to get their captor's attention. "Kill me if you must, do whatever you want to me, just stop hurting Alice! Let her go!"_

_After what seemed like an eternity to Cyrus, Anastasia finally did end the magic she was using on Alice. "See? All done." She replied casually. "No real physical harm done."_

_Cyrus clutched his chest as he felt the pain of losing Alice even though she was just a few feet from him. "Alice!"_

_Alice's eyes darted around like a wild animal, completely terrified. "Who are you people?! Where am I?!"_

_Tears stung Cyrus's eyes. "Alice, look at me! Please!" He pleaded. "Please look at me, my love."_

_Anastasia and Jafar shared a look. This would be the moment of truth, to see if what they had done had indeed worked._

_Alice's entire mind was blank. She didn't know where she was, who these people were or even who she was. All she was aware of in the midst of all of this madness and fear was the desperate soothing voice that somehow managed to break through. _

_Alice turned and looked at Cyrus, there was no recollection in her eyes but even though he was a stranger to her, he still managed to chase away the fear and the madness if only for a brief moment. _

"_Alice," Cyrus tried to smile at her soothingly, refusing to give up on her ever even if the worst had happened. "you know who I am?"_

_Alice shook her head, the panic coming back. "Who's Alice?" She cried out. "Who are you? Who are you people?!"_

_Cyrus closed his eyes pained, his entire being filled with unimaginable heartache. While, Jafar and Anastasia just grinned, clearly pleased with themselves. _

"_Alice, please just keep looking at me." Cyrus pleaded. "You have to know me. There has to be some part inside of you that still remembers who you are and what we mean to each other."_

_Alice's body just shook, she was completely terrified. _

"_How sad." Anastasia murmured feining sympathy. "Well, I do believe it is time for the next stage." _

_Cyrus didn't even bother sparing either of them a glance, he kept his gaze focused on Alice. She truly didn't have a single memory and he could feel how terrified she was. He knew that she needed him more than ever even if she didn't know it. _

"_Rabbit." Anastasia called._

_This time Cyrus did spare a glance and it was out of sheer shock and than betrayal. The white rabbit was in on this? Alice had trusted him as had he._

_The white rabbit walked out, unable to look at Cyrus or Alice. He was ashamed of himself for being the cause of their misery after they had trusted him so, but he was afraid for his family. _

"_You know what to do." Anastasia directed him._

_The white rabbit just nodded as he began opening up a portal. _

_Cyrus just knew this was going to be futile but he had to at least try, try to fight for Alice. "Rabbit, I know that you care for Alice." He felt a smidge of hope as he saw the white rabbit's ashamed eyes meet his. "You don't really want to cause her any harm. Please, don't do this."_

"_I'm so sorry." The white rabbit murmured ashamed before turning away and continuing with the portal._

_Now Cyrus felt anger enter him. Anger at the hopelessness of this situation. "How could you be party to this?! Alice trusted you! She thought you cared about her!"_

_The white rabbit said nothing, there was nothing he could say._

"_Oh fear not, Genie." Jafar spoke up. "We're not entirely…heartless. We are sending her back to her realm."_

_Cyrus glared at his captor and enemy. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you would just send Alice home?"_

_Jafar just smiled. "I didn't say anything about sending her home. I said her realm. But…her family could still wind up finding her at some point. I'm even feeling generous enough to say that there's a chance that you could even find her one day." He then smirked evilly. "Not that there will be much of her to find."_

_Cyrus resisted the urge to let his rage lose on him. He wasn't going to do that in front of Alice and he wasn't going to give Jafar the satisfaction of thinking he'd won. He would die before he ever let Jafar win._

"_Alice," Cyrus's voice was desperate as he saw her blank gaze face his. "Darling please I need you to remember that I love you. Please…it took me several lifetimes to meet you but only seconds to love you." He could've sworn he saw something flicker in her eyes admist the emptiness. "It is a love that cannot be broken, not by a thousand spells or swords. Please, remember that. Hold on to that, no matter what happens. Hold on, Alice until I find you again."_

"_Cyrus." Alice whispered, tears entering her eyes. She quickly scampered over to the silver cage he was in. "I'm so sorry. I promised you wouldn't be a prisoner again…"_

_Cyrus looked at her astonished. Was she actually breaking through what Anastasia had done to her? "Alice. You know who I am?"_

_Alice nodded tearfully. "You're Cyrus, my one true love, the man I will marry."_

_Cyrus smiled warmly at her through his tears. He reached his hand through the cage to grab hers, trying with all his might to ignore the searing pain in his arm at the action. _

"_Cyrus," Alice gasped. "your hand!"_

_Cyrus shook his head, his features still pained. "I don't care. I love you, Alice. I love you with my entire being."_

"_Cyrus, I love you." Alice whispered._

_Anastasia was seething with hatred. "It didn't work! All it took was some nauseating words and it all came back!"_

_Jafar was displeased, but he refused to let it get him down. "Once she gets to where we're sending her and the years go by without her so called true love, her spirit will break as will the Genie's. Nothing is forever."_

_That wasn't enough for Anastasia though. With a wave of her hand, Alice began screaming. This time she made it last longer. This time she would be sure that she erased everything, even if it wound up making the girl go mad._

"_Alice!" Cyrus cried out in fear. "My love, I'm here! Please, Alice hold on.."_

_Anastasia raised her hand even higher, tearing Alice out of Cyrus's grip and towards the rabbit's portal._

"_No!" Cyrus cried. "Alice, please! You have to remember! You have to keep faith!" He groaned as he clutched his chest, feeling pain enter it once again. "Alice! My love, I __**will **__come for you! I promise!"_

_And just like that, in a split second Alice…his love…his everything was gone through the portal._

"_That really was too bad about you and Alice." Anastasia sneered, feigning empathy. "I truly was rooting for you two." _

_Cyrus glared at his captors, feeling nothing but hatred for the two of them for what they'd done to Alice. "You may think you have won but I can assure you, you haven't." _

_Anastasia laughed. "Oh really? Well my partner and I have you in your cage, your girlfriend is no longer of concern to me and eventually I will have your bottle. It certainly feels like a win for me."_

_Cyrus realized that the two of them clearly had no idea that Alice had never used her wishes. They obviously thought all they needed was his bottle and they were home free._

"_You seem solemn, Genie." Jafar added with a smirk._

_Cyrus just glared at him, refusing to allow himself to give into his fear, his pain. Not in front of them. He would be damned if he'd give the two of them the satisfaction._

"_You can't keep us apart forever." Cyrus spoke firmly with determination. _

"_You seem awfully confident for one who's 'true love' has not a single memory to her mind, including her own name." Anastasia spoke icily. "Even if you had been able to follow her through that portal, you'd never get her back the way she was." She than smiled. 'If you think about it, you should be thanking me."_

_Cyrus glared at her. "You are disillusioned and mad if you think for one moment that I would thank you for any of this!"_

"_I'm saving you from a lifetime of misery." Anastasia spoke triumphantly. _

"_I'll fight for her!" Cyrus yelled, his fear and determination getting the better of him. "I'll __**never **__stop fighting for her!"_

"Alice." Cyrus was gently holding her. "You can let it all come back, you just have to believe."

Alice looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. There was something else…something that Cyrus was seeing for the first time. There was a softness, a tenderness in them.

"Cyrus." Alice whispered, reaching out almost hesitantly at first before finally grasping his face. "Oh…" She smiled brightly through her tears, amazement filling her features. "Oh my God."

Cyrus was afraid to believe, afraid to even dare to hope for fear that he were wrong. For if he was, it would surely wreck him all over again.

"Alice." His voice came out shaky, unshed tears in his eyes. When he saw the happiness, the amazement and most of all the love and light in her eyes, he knew that he'd gotten her back. He'd gotten his Alice back.

"I..I remember!" Alice cried out, happiness and wonder just taking over her. "Cyrus," She softly caressed his cheek as held it there and placed a tender kiss on the back of her palm. "I _love_ you!"

Cyrus grinned through his tears. "I love _you_, Alice." He got out before clutching her to him tightly and placing his lips on hers, kissing her deeply and passionately.

Alice wrapped her arms around his middle in turn, not being able to get close enough to him. She crawled into his lap, as she kissed him back with everything, with all the love she had for him inside of her.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I wanna thank all of my reviewers, followers who are sticking with this story! The support means so much to me! I wanna keep this story more on a schedule so I plan to update it every Wednesday. I hope you guys like this next chapter and please review!

**Chapter 6**

"Cyrus," Alice breathed against his lips. Her entire being complete for the first time in years. "you came for me."

"I promised you I would, did I not?" Cyrus murmured, gently touching her face. "I would never break a promise to you, my love. Never."

"Cyrus!" Alice suddenly looked very concerned. "You were in a silver cage, how did you escape?" Then her eyes changed to fearful. "And Jafar and the Red Queen, what of them?"

"Shh," Cyrus gently rubbed circles along her back in an effort to calm her. "it's alright, my love. You needn't worry. What is the last thing you remember?"

"I remember it all." Alice replied, still trying to make sense of it. It was a lot to manage in her mind, her real life with Cyrus and the life they'd banished her to back in Europe and later on in New York. "I remember you holding my hand even as it pained you to do so, and than I remember…" Alice gasped.

"You remember the white rabbit, don't you love?" Cyrus gently continued his ministrations along her back.

Alice nodded, hurt written all over her beautiful features. "He opened up that portal, he…" She shook her head in disgust. "He sent me back to my realm, but to a different part of it that I wi.." She paused, thinking better of her words remembering the three wishes she still possessed but would never ever use. "That I _never_ want to see again."

"What happened when you landed where you were sent?" Cyrus gently asked, wanting…no needing to know what had happened to her while they were apart.

"That is not something I can relive now," Alice replied softly, looking away from his concerned gaze. After a moment or two she looked back into his eyes, pleading with him silently to understand. "or maybe ever."

Cyrus gently wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down his love's face. "Then I shall wait until you are ready to tell me."

Alice blinked back more tears that were caused by her love's understanding and pure out utter devotion to her. "The rabbit…how could he? I thought we were friends! How could he just betray us like that?"

"I am not sure of how much comfort this will offer you, Alice but I do not believe he wished to betray us. I believe he was under duress from the queen." Cyrus offered her quietly.

"Even so, it all hurts just the same." Alice replied, her tone still filled with hurt.

"I know it does, my love." Cyrus gently ran his hand along her cheek.

"You never answered my question, you know." Alice spoke after a few moments. "How did you escape?"

"I had planned my escape for months," Cyrus explained. "but the execution of it…that came from a rather unexpected source…"

"_Cyrus!"_

_Cyrus was shaken awake from his dreams of reuniting with Alice by a voice. _

_He knew that voice…_

_Who was it?_

_Than he gasped as he felt his cage being lowered to the ground. He was about to tell Jafar to sod off when to his amazement he saw his cage open._

_Cyrus looked up at the one responsible…well make that ones responsible and he was stunned._

"_Rabbit?" He whispered in disbelief. Than his eyes gazed on the one next to the rabbit. "Who are you?"_

"_Name's Will." Will replied with a smile, extending out his hand to help the genie up. "I'm a friend of Alice's."_

_At the mention of his love's name he was immediately more alert. "Alice, is she alright? Have you seen her?"_

_Will frowned. "Have I seen Alice? Yes, I have. Have I seen the Alice that we both know? No, I haven't."_

_Cyrus frowned, worry overtaking him. "What does that mean?"_

_Will sighed. "It means she has no memories. It means I rescued her from a very bad situation a few months back and she managed to take off on me. I haven't seen her since. It means she needs you, Cyrus."_

"_What happened to her?" Cyrus demanded, fear overtaking him. He couldn't stand the idea that she'd been in peril and he hadn't been there._

"_Look, Cyrus the rabbit and I managed to knock the guards out but it won't hold them forever. Who knows when Jafar will be back. Let us get you out of here and than I'll tell you whatever you want to know." Will promised._

_Cyrus nodded, giving in if at least for the moment._

"The Rabbit freed you?" Alice asked in astonishment.

Cyrus nodded. "He did indeed. He went to Will and the two of them came for me."

"Will helped you…" Alice wasn't really that surprised that Will would help Cyrus out, she was more surprised that he would be looking out for her after the way she'd treated him during their last encounter a few years back.

"He told me that he owed you." Cyrus gently replied. "I suppose he wanted to repay your kindness and bravery, and I believe that the rabbit wanted to atone in some way for what he'd done to us…"

"_I am going to open up a portal and it will take you directly to Alice's realm." The white rabbit told Cyrus. _

"_It will take me to her?" Cyrus was wary of trusting the rabbit after the way he had betrayed them._

"_Do not misunderstand, Cyrus." The white rabbit warned him. "This portal will take you to Alice's realm, to the land she's in. There are many different areas in this realm. It could take you months or even years to find her."_

_Cyrus glared at him. He just had the feeling that this was all another set up. "Do not play games with me, Rabbit." He warned him sharply. "You opened the portal that Alice was forced through. You must know where she is!"_

"_I don't." The rabbit assured him, feeling more than a little uneasy by the genie's hostility. "Yes I opened the portal that Alice went through. All I know is that she went back to her realm, a land without magic. Jafar and the red queen placed a magic charm on my portal. They are the only ones that truly know where she is."_

_Cyrus felt fear enter him. "No! I have to find her before they do…"_

"_Do not worry." The white rabbit assured him again this time with a friendly smile. "I've placed a charm of my own, not necessarily on this portal but on this." He pulls out Cyrus's glowing necklace. "I took it from the red queen's chest."_

_Cyrus was stunned. "You risked a lot to get me that back. Why?" _

"_Because I truly wanted to make up in some way for what I did to you and Alice." The rabbit replied quietly. "You have no idea how badly I feel about what I did. My reasons don't matter but hopefully helping you get back to her and offering you protection will make a difference."_

_Cyrus gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Rabbit. It means a lot to me, I know it will to Alice as well. If I may ask though, how are you offering me protection?"_

"_I placed a protective charm on this necklace." The rabbit explained. "It will prevent any magical being from finding you and from finding Alice."_

_Cyrus was confused. "Alice? How..?"_

_The rabbit just smiled. "Your hearts are entwined, remember? It will protect you both." He looked down, still ashamed of what he'd done all those months ago. "Good luck, Cyrus."_

_Cyrus nodded. "Thank you, I mean that." He then turned to Will. "It's not that I don't appreciate all you both have done for me, but why are you helping me?"_

_Will shrugged. "Because I owe Alice a debt. She gave me back my heart, it's only fitting that I give her back hers."_

_Cyrus's eyes lit up in recognition. "You're the knave of hearts."_

_Will nodded. "I take it she told you about me?"_

_Cyrus nodded back. "She told me all about her bravery, how she got you your heart back."_

"_Then you understand why I am doing this." Will replied._

"_Indeed, I do." Cyrus replied with a soft smile, than frowned. "Before I go, tell me what's become of Alice."_

_Will sighed. "Cyrus, it is really not my tale to tell." At Cyrus's sharp glare, he relented. "Although, you do deserve to know what you're getting yourself into. When I found Alice, she was with some very shady people. Those people were traffickers."_

_Cyrus looked at him in confusion but also worry. "Traffickers?"_

_Will sighed. "Oh, right. Are you familiar with human slavery?"_

_Cyrus's eyes went wide as fear shot through his heart. "Slavery?! Please…no!"_

_Will nodded seriously. "They were some rather nasty blokes but I managed to get her away from them."_

_Cyrus breathed relieved. "Thank you. I will be indebted to you forever for what you did. Where is Alice now?"_

_Will looked down. "Well…"_

_Cyrus glared at him, fear once again overtaking him. "Will, where is Alice? You said that you rescued her. Where did you take her?"_

_Will sighed and mumbled. "She took off on me."_

"_And you just let her?" Cyrus cried. "You didn't think that maybe she could run into those monsters again?"_

"_I wasn't really thinking that far ahead, Cyrus!" Will snapped. "I mucked it up, I know but believe it or not my destiny is not to be her hero. That's your job."_

_Cyrus stared at him for a few moments before shaking his head quietly, looking him over disappointment. "My looking out for Alice, my protecting Alice, my __**loving**__ Alice is not a job. I do those things, I __**did**__ those things because there was no other choice for me. It is because she's my love. You do all of those things when you __**really**__ love someone."_

_Will felt sadness enter him when he thought of his own love, Anastasia and what had become of them and of her. It broke his heart all over again, but this wasn't about his lost love. This was about helping Alice be reunited with hers._

"_I know." He replied quietly. "You have no idea how much I know. What I said came out wrong, I did not mean to offend you. The only reason she successfully evaded me was because I was too wrapped up in myself to really put up a fight on it. I have tried to find her and I've come up empty. It's been months, Cyrus and nothing. I am helping you because you're a decent person and I do owe Alice, but it's also because you're her only hope. It's like the rabbit said, your hearts are entwined. You'll be able to feel when she's near. You will find her, I know it."_

_Cyrus sighed and nodded. He really hoped that to be true. He really hoped that he would be able to find her before something else horrible were to happen to her. "And what of Jafar and Anastasia? I know you said you put a protective charm for Alice and I, so they won't be able follow us but what if they somehow manage to find her before I do?"_

"_I won't lie to you, Cyrus it's a possibility." The rabbit agreed. "But the chance of it is not very high. I did something else. I have friends who have some pretty powerful magics of their own. I used one of them on Jafar and the Red Queen. They won't be able to travel to any land without magic for one decade. It's possible they could break through that, but at least it gives you somewhat of a head start."_

"_Thank you, Rabbit." Cyrus replied sincerely. _

_The white rabbit just nodded. "It is the least that I could do, Cyrus." He than began working on the portal that Cyrus would go through to be reunited with his love._

"Wait." Alice spoke as Cyrus ended his explanation of what had happened. "Did Will…he he tell you about finding me?"

"Yes, he did." Cyrus replied gently, finding no point in lying to her.

"Well, what did he say?" Alice demanded. There were a lot of things she didn't want Cyrus to know about that had happened when she'd lost who she was and how Will had encountered her on that day was one of them.

"He told me that you had encountered some horrible people. He told me those people were traffickers." Cyrus answered softly.

Alice blinked back tears, just the mere word bringing all of that back. "What else did he tell you?"

Cyrus gently reached a wiped a stray tear that had started to fall down her cheek away. He hated to see her so sad, so afraid…so afraid to let him in.

"All that he told me was that he'd rescued you and that afterwards he lost you." Cyrus gently replied. "I believe he knew more but did not wish to tell me because he felt that you should."

"I should," Alice choked out, reaching out for his hand even as it immediately found hers and squeezed it. "but I cannot. It hurts too much."

Cyrus gently grabbed her face, placing his lips on hers softly and feeling her respond back almost desperately.

"Alice," Cyrus breathed softly against her lips. "oh how I do wish that you would tell me what troubles you so, for all I want is to make you, to _see_ you happy again like before all of this madness ever started."

"Cyrus, you do make me happy." Alice smiled softly at him. "When I had no memories and didn't know who I was, I just knew that something was missing. I could feel it every single second of every single day. When you found me, even though I didn't remember you I still _knew_ that I was safe with you. I knew that I could trust you. When I finally did remember, everything just clicked back into place. You are my completion, you always have been and you always will be. I love you."

"My beautiful Alice, I _love_ you. I always have and I always will." Cyrus smiled at her, his eyes full of love. He leaned his head against hers, feeling her breathe softly against him. "When you are ready to tell me of what you went through while we were separated, just know that you can. I will wait for you just as I always have."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I wanna thank all of my reviewers and followers! To those I was unable to send a reply to, thank you all for reviewing! The support of this story means so much! This chapter has a small flashback giving a bit of a glimpse into what Alice went through when she and Cyrus were separated. I know this chapter is a day early, but I decided I wanted to just go ahead and share it with you all! I hope you guys like new installment and please continue to give me your feedback!

**Chapter 7**

_Alice woke and felt her head pounding. _

_As she opened her eyes, she found it very difficult to do so. Everything around her was very hazy and she honestly felt like she could pass out again._

_Alice became more alert however, when she saw metal bars in front of her. As her gaze adjusted, she realized she was in a cage, a very small one. Panic began to set in, and her descent into madness begun._

_She began banging against the bars desperately. "Let me out!" She cried. "Somebody please!" She sobbed._

"_That will do you no good, you know." A voice quietly spoke up._

_Alice stopped clawing at the bars once she heard the voice. She turned toward the voice who appeared to be a girl around her age. "Who..who are you?" She whispered tearfully._

"_My name is Lizzie, friends from back home used to call me Lizzard." Lizzie replied softly. "Like you, I'm never going to be free."_

_Alice shook her head, something inside her telling her to cling onto hope, that there was something or someone out there waiting for her. "No," She whispered tearfully. "there has to be a way out!"_

_Lizzie just shook her head sadly. "It'll be much easier on you if you don't fight it. It'll most certainly be easier if you learn to shut yourself off, especially once you're sold."_

_Alice felt fear stab her heart. "Sold? I…I don't…what are you talking about?"_

"_There's going to be an auction." Lizzie replied simply. "Someone __**will**__ buy you and they __**will**__ own you. It's inevitable."_

_Alice wanted to persist, she wanted to scream that it would never happen, but her head was getting heavy and seconds later she was passing out into darkness._

Cyrus was sitting up, holding Alice in his arms as she slept. Her head was resting against his chest and he gently stroked her hair. He was content to watch her sleep, to watch her in anything as they had both lost so much time together.

The peacefulness was short lived as Alice bolted awake screaming as if she were being tortured.

"NOOO!" Alice screamed, as sobs shook her small form.

Cyrus quickly grabbed hold of her, wanting to comfort her and calm her immediately for he had never seen her this terrified. "Alice," Cyrus's voice was soothing and gentle as was his touch. "my dear heart it's alright."

But unlike other times his soothing voice and touch wasn't enough to bring her back to him. "No!" Alice sobbed loudly. "Let me out, please!"

Cyrus was worried that if he didn't bring her back to him soon that she would hyperventilate. "Alice!" His voice was still soothing but this time louder as he gave her shoulders a slight but gentle shake. "Darling, I'm right here! Please come back to me, you're safe!"

Suddenly she stopped struggling and looked up at him, his words finally getting through to her and registering. She then took in her surroundings, realizing that she wasn't back in Europe. She wasn't in that horribly tiny cage. She was in the Enchanted Forest with Cyrus, with her true love.

"Cyrus." Alice cried. Her small form shook with sobs as she broke down.

"Oh, Alice." Cyrus's heart broke as he saw how much distress his love was in. He gently reached out to take her into his arms and was relieved when she immediately fell into them, accepting his comfort. He wrapped one arm around her body, the other coming up to gently stroke her hair. "My love, please talk to me. I cannot bear to see you so distraught."

Alice had her arms wrapped around him and she tightened her hold as she sobbed softly. "I cannot! It hurts too much!"

Cyrus gently grabbed hold of her arms, coaxing them to come down so Alice would have to look at him. "Alice," His voice was soft. "are you not hurting more by keeping it buried inside of yourself?"

Alice looked up at him tearfully, knowing that he was right. "But Cyrus, you don't understand…"

Cyrus gave her a sad smile. "I do not understand what it is, how it feels to be a prisoner? I do not understand how it feels to be something someone merely uses and than tosses away the moment they get what they want?"

Alice returned the sad smile through her tears. "I suppose you understand to that degree, but there is so much more. There are things…" She shook her head, blinking back more tears. "Things you do not know of."

"Alice," Cyrus's voice was gentle as was his touch as he gently tipped her chin upwards to meet his concerned gaze. "what are you so afraid of? Why are you so afraid to confide in me, my love?" He searched her eyes and felt his heart clench when he saw more tears stream down her beautiful face and her gaze filled with fear. "Do you…do you honestly believe that if you tell me, I'll see you differently? Do you honestly believe that I would love you any less?"

"I'm ashamed." Alice admitted through her tears. "I'm…" She breathed deeply.

"Oh, Alice." Cyrus gently brushed away her tears. "What could you possibly have to be ashamed of? What happened gives you no cause for shame. You're still my beautiful Alice just as you always were." He declared lovingly.

Alice shook her head, more tears entering her eyes. Oh how she wanted that to be true so badly. It broke her heart to see the love in his eyes, it did so because she knew that once he knew everything it would no longer be there at least not the way it was now.

"Do you remember the day you proposed to me?"

Cyrus looked almost offended. How could she think he could ever forget that day? "Of course I do, my love. It was the day our lives were beginning…"

"It was also the day it ended." Alice tearfully replied. "The moment I was sent through that portal, and every second after…I wasn't…"

Cyrus looked at her heartbroken expression and felt his own heart break, for he could not stand to see his love in such pain. "Hey," He gently touched her face. "you can tell me anything."

Alice breathed deeply. "I wasn't her anymore. I was no longer your beautiful, pure Alice. She died." She cried softly. "She was killed the second she was sent through that portal." She looked into his pain filled gaze and felt her heart clench. "I know you know that's true."

"What?" Cyrus gasped in disbelief.

"You know it is true!" Alice repeated through her tears. "You just don't want to admit it."

"Alice," Cyrus gently touched her face. "how could I admit something that is not true?"

Alice continued to shake her head. "Once you know everything, you will no longer feel the same. You'll want to leave me." She cried stormily.

"Never!" Cyrus declared sharply. "Alice, there is nothing you could say, nor is there anything you could ever do that would _ever_ make me want that!"

"What if…" Alice braced herself, preparing to reveal something horrible and preparing for his reaction of disgust that was sure to come. "What if I told you that I had been with other men? Hundreds even. Would you still _want_ me then? Would you still _love_ me then?" She tearfully looked into his warm gaze that while had darkened a bit in anger, his eyes were still looking into hers as warm as ever before. "Would you honestly still want to _stay_ with me?"


End file.
